Display-rack.



J. MGLAUGHLIN. DISPLAY RACK.

' APPLICATION FILED JAN.27, 1910.

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

YJVV JIN TUR M/ZTNEEEES m: mmkls pnzns m, WAsnHyGmN, n c.

strn'rns or arena McLAUGI-ILIN, or BELLEFONTAINE, OHIO, ASSIGNOB or ONE-THIRD TO JUDSDN R. CASEY AND ONE-THIRD r0 JAMES w. SHAVER, BOTI-I or BELLEFONTAINE, OHIO.

DISPLAY-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. at, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MGLAUGHLIN, a citizen of the United Ctates, and a resident of Belletontaine, in the county of Logan and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful. Display-Rack; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to display racks, and more particularly to racks of the class adapted for the displaying of rugs, curtains, spreads or other similar articles, but is not restricted to such use as it may be employed in any connection for which it may be adapted or appropriate.

The object ot my invention is the pro vision of a simple and elticient device of this class, which is inex 'iensive or manufacture, strong and durable in its construction and easily operated to permit. a quick lowering of an article held in suspended position thereby.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and a preferred embodiment of the same is illustrated in the accom 'ianying drawings, in whieh,-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of av rack embodying my invention, with the releasing mechanism removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, with portions broken away and a portion of a rug or the like suspended therefrom. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section on the line at aa in each of Figs. 1 and 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are different enlarged views of an article engaging clip, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged portion of a suspending arm and associated parts of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a wall. post or other suitable support for the vertically spaced bracket 2. This bracket is shown as being provided with a circular series of pivot holes 3 for receiving the pivots 4 provided atthe inner ends of the articlesuspending arms 5 of the apparatus to facilitate a swinging of such arms in a horizontal plane. One only of these arms is shown and it is represented as comprising two angle-iron bars 6, 6 having their vertical flanges disposed adjacent each other and their horizontal flanges projecting outwardly from their upper edges, these bars being secured together in any suitable manner.

A brace 7, which, in the present instance, is shown as comprising two angle-iron bars, projects downwardly and rearwardly on an incline from the free end portion of the arm in the vertical plane thereof, and is pro vided at its inner end with a pivot lug 8, for working in one of a series of apertures provided in a bracket 9, which bracket is disposed below and is similar in construction to the upper bracket 2.

1O designate clips or clasps for gripping the edge of a rug or other article to be suspended. These clips are provided with shanks adapted to permit their projection through openings 11 provided at suitable intervals longitudinally of the horizontal flanges of the bars 6, forming the arm 5, and have their free ends looped or provided with eyes to permit securing pins 12 to be inserted therethrongh above the bar flanges to prevent a withdrawal of the clips from such openings. The pins 12 associated with each bar (3 are attached by a flexible connection 13 to a common trip chain or member 11-, which extends over such bar longitudinally thereof. One end of such chain, preferably its inner, is attached to a coiled contraction spring 15, which in turn attaches to a lug 16 at the inner end of the arm 5, while the other end thereof attaches to the vertically-extending arm of a bellcrank lever 17. This lever is pivoted to the vertical flange of a bar 6 adjacent its free end and has its vertical arm projecting through a slot 18 in the horizontal flange of the bar. A trip-chain 19 hangs down from the end of the horizontal arm of the lever 17. It is apparent that to release the pins 12 from engagement with the clips 10, it is only necessary to pull downwardly on the chain or cord 19, which movement rocks the lever 17 and eflects a longitudinal movement of the member 1% against the tension of the spring 15 and a consequentwithdrawal of all of the attached pins 12 from the clips 10. On a release of the chain 19 the member 141 and lever 17 assume their normal positions under the action of the spring 15. As the clips 10 projecting through the different bars of an arm 5 are engaged by separate sets of pins 12 the articles suspended thereby may be selectively released by a pulling of the proper trip-member 19.

The members let are supported at intervals along the arm 5 over their respective bars 6 or sides of such arm by the members 20, which are provided on opposite sides with U-shaped guiding parts 21 through which the members it work. The members 20 are shown as having flanges projecting downwardly between the bars (3 of an arm 5 to serve as spacing means for such bars.

lVhile the clips 10 may be of any suitable construction they are shown in the present instance as being formed from single pieces of wire bent in the form indicated in Figs. at and 5.

In the use of my rack any number of the arms 5 and their supporting braces 7 may be employed and are preferably permitted to have horizontal movements due to the pivotal mounting of their inner ends on the brackets 2 and 9. In suspending a rug or other article from an arm, an edge of the same is first gripped by a plurality of the clips 10 and the shanks of these clips are then passed upwardly through the openings 11 of one of the sets in an arm. The shanks are then secured against withdrawal from the openings by an insertion of the associated pins 1'2 through the eyed or looped ends thereof. As many articles as there are series of openings 11 in an arm may be sus pended therefrom in this manner. To lower any one of the suspended articles it is only necessary to pull downwardly on the proper trip-member 19, as this effects a rocking of the associated bell-crank lever 1'7 and consequent longitudinal movement of the chain or member 14 against the tension of the spring 15, which movement of the member 14 in turn effects a withdrawal of the at tached pins 12 from engagement with the clips 10, thus permitting a dropping of the clips and engaged article by gravity.

It is evident that I have provided a rack of the class described which is commercially practical in its operation and construction, and which eliminates the danger of tearing the suspended article which is so objectionable in the racks and other means commonly employed for such purpose, as the tacking or hanging of the article from nails or hooks is entirely obviated.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction or arrangement of parts, except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is,-

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a suspending arm having openings therein, article engaging means adapted to project through such openings, members cooperating with the arm to hold said means in suspended state, and trip means attached to said members and movable to release the same from engagement with the article engaging means.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a suspending arm having openings therein, article engaging means adapted to project through such openings, a flexible trip member associated with the arm and yieldingly movable relative thereto, and parts cooperating with the arm to hold said means in suspended state and being attached to said member whereby a tripping move ment of the member effects a movement of said parts to release the article engaging means.

In an apparatus of the class described,

, a horizontal swinging arm comprising a pair of angle iron bars secured together in parallelism, said bars having openings in their horizontal flanges, trip members extending longitudinally of such bar and yieldingly connected to the arm adjacent one end thereof, pins connected to each trip member and article engaging means having parts adapted to project through the openings in said bars and to be engaged by said pins to prevent their removal from such openings, said pins being released from the article engaging means by a tripping movement of the associated trip member.

4:. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a suspending arm, article engaging members projecting through portions of such arm, and means having attached pin portions cooperating with the arm to retain such article engaging members in suspended position, said means being movable to effect a simultaneous release of all 0 said members from the arm.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a suspending arm, article engaging members having looped portions projected through portions of such arm, trip means yieldingly movable longitudinally of the arm and having attached portions adapted to engage the looped ends of said members to cooperate with the arm to suspend the same, said attached portions being movable by a. movement of said trip means to effect a release of said members from engagement with the arm.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN.

lVitnesses J. IV. SHAVER, ANsoN l3. CARTER. 

